News

AI and Agricultural Research/Publishing

Wednesday, January 31, 2-3pm ET/1-2pm CT/12-1pm MT/ 11am-12pm PT

Suzanne Allard (Associate Dean for Research, College of Communication & Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville) will join us to speak on the status of AI and how AI is being used in the research and publication process by agricultural faculty.

Data Sharing: Finding and Understanding Federal Regulations

Wednesday, February 28, 2-3pm ET/1-2pm CT/12-1pm MT/ 11am-12pm PT

Brianne Dosch (Assistant Professor and Head of Data and Digital Scholarship at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville) will join us to speak on the newer federal data sharing and open access rules that will impact the practices of agricultural researchers on our campuses.

Questions and comments can be directed to Maggie Albro (malbro@utk.edu), ARSIG convener.

Please join us for a USAIN/CBHL virtual networking event Thursday, December 7th from 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern time.

The goal is to have some fun connecting/reconnecting and learn from each other. We hope this time together will make your work brighter and easier. We will have some time for networking one on one as well as in smaller groups. There will be two breakout sessions (see topics below); you can join one topic for each session.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Libraries: Helpful or Hindrance?

How are LIbraries using AI already or could use it? From cataloging to marketing efforts, AI had the potential to increase efficiency, remove barriers, but also to persist bias in systems and privacy concerns.

• Let's share how we could use AI such as ChatGPT could be used in programming, marketing, and other ideas.

• Maybe we will have a mini contest to see who can come up with the wackiest conference session title using ChartGPT, as a way to tiptoe into playing with AI.

1. Conference Session Brainstorming

Do you want to write a paper or poster abstract for the USAIN/CBHL Annual Meeting but haven’t had the time or mental energy to think of an idea and sit down and write it? Then join us for an informal, optional writing session! (Adapted from SC/MLAmeeting)

• Brainstorm with others about your paper or poster ideas

• Get feedback from colleagues on your draft abstract

• Make space on your calendar to write and submit an abstract

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We will be trying the platform Hopin this time, to do automatic shuffling of participants for networking. You can join by registering at the following link: 

https://hopin.com/events/usain-networking-november-2023

1. 3-3:05pm: Introduction (Click on Sessions)
2. 3:05-3:25pm: Networking (Click on Networking)
3. 3:25-3:45pm: Breakout rooms (Click on Sessions)
   1. Impact of AI
   2. USAIN/CBHL Conference Session Brainstorm & Research Activity
4. 3:45-3:55pm: Networking (Click on Networking)
5. 3:55pm-4pm: Close (Click on Sessions)
6. Optional 4:-4:30pm: continue networking

We hope you will join us May 5-8, 2024, in beautiful East Lansing, MI for the 19^th biennial conference of the United States Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) and the first joint conference with the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL). The conference is being hosted by the Michigan State University Libraries and will take place on MSU’s campus at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

In addition to a variety of informative and educational conference sessions, we will be holding our Awards Dinner at the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum in downtown Lansing, where you will have a chance to learn about Michigan’s – and Lansing’s – rich history of transportation.

The theme of the 2024 conference is “Growing Together and Branching Out”, and the conference planning committees are working hard to put together an exciting program. Please visit the conference webpage for more details and updates.

We look forward to seeing you in May!

- Andrea Kepsel and Suzi Teghtmeyer, USAIN/CBHL 2024 Conference Co-Chairs

The USDA National Agricultural Library’s Agricultural Law Information Partnership is hosting a virtual event on Thursday, September 7th, from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (EDT) where we will look the affect climate change is having on food safety concerns. During the first hour, we will hear from guest speakers Dr. Jodi Williams, National Program Leader, Food Safety, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Dr. Sheila Fleischhacker, National Science Liaison, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. They will discuss how climate change is impacting food safety in both direct and indirect ways; drought and extreme temperatures can limit safe water for irrigation while creating favorable growth conditions for pathogens, leading to increases in foodborne illness. Flash floods can generate chemical contaminant runoff into natural water systems, resulting in long-term effects to food systems and safety.

Beginning at 11:30 am, Jamie Flood will offer a brief  Wikipedia editing training session and editing time will focus on food safety, climate change, and the impacts of climate change.

Please register on Eventbrite where a full schedule and speaker bios can be found. The confirmation email will include the Zoom link and password to access the event. Full-event attendance is not required. For more information about the event, and to see what we will be editing, please visit the Wikipedia page. Please feel free to accept the calendar event attached to the email (it includes the Zoom link) if preferred.

The USAIN Professional Development Committee would like to announce this upcoming webinar to be presented by two of our members.

Understanding Historic U.S. Department of Agriculture Publications

The importance of government publications in the field of agriculture cannot be understated. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) continually publishes information aimed at farmers, consumers, and the general public. However, these myriad resources can prove challenging to identify and locate. While more information is online now, the difficulties of identifying and locating these agricultural documents are still present.

This webinar will provide an overview of historical resources from the USDA’s research-producing entities. It will connect librarians to these resources by recommending access points and defining certain publications’ limitations. We aim to acquaint agriculture librarians with federal publication distribution processes and introduce newer librarians to publications’ applicability to various reference interactions. We will provide opportunities for experienced librarians to contribute their tips for accessing this type of information and hope to increase everyone's confidence in locating USDA publications.

Learning Objective(s):

● Understand basic government publication organization and access

● Identify notable USDA publications and where to find them

● Understand key USDA subject areas and their publications

● Explore ongoing and developing issues with federal agricultural information

A link to a recording will be sent out following the session to attendees that register.

Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 2-3pm EDT

Speakers:

● Helen Smith, Agricultural Sciences Librarian, Penn State University

● Jen Kirk, Government Information Librarian, Utah State University

Please complete this brief Google form to receive the registration link or recording.

Are you curious about enjoying and using all the plants in, around, and beyond your garden? Do you want to hear the importance of food sovereignty and learn how to make an impact in your local food community? Join USDA’s National Agricultural Library and the University of Minnesota's Doris Kirschner Cookbook Collection for a free webinar at 2 pm ET on Monday, August 7th: “Growing and Using Wild and Cultivated Plants.” Register now.

In this 60-minute webinar, join Heidi Rader and Molly Cerridwen share the importance of food sovereignty, starting with growing and using wild and cultivated plants. Learn the health benefits of incorporating wild plants into your diet from our two experts with traditional knowledge and indigenous perspective.  

• ·       Heidi Rader, Professor of Extension, Project Director of the Alaska Tribes Extension Program which promotes food sovereignty and security throughout Alaska.  She teaches virtual and hands-on workshops on health, wellness, food, and gardening. She partners with Tribes and Traditional Knowledge Holders to offer Tribally driven outreach. Heidi has filmed over 60 videos for a series called In the Alaska Garden with Heidi Rader and writes the blog, It Grows in Alaska
• ·       Molly Cerridwen, Owner & Operator of Shapeshifting Wellness, Yupík Traditional Healer, CIAYT, NMT, MPT, CMT, YACEP, ERYT500, Structural Integration Therapist, Educator. Molly is Yup’ik, Siberian Yup'ik, and Irish with ancestral ties to Qaluyaaq (Nelson Island, Alaska) and a member of Too Naaleł Denh (Manley Hot Springs Tribe). She performs Alaska Native traditional healing and yoga therapy clinic in Knik, AK.  She weaves traditional health-based practices with complementary and alternative medicine modalities to support each person where they are in their journey of wellness. As a Traditional Knowledge Holder, Molly shares her knowledge to all those willing to learn via workshops and talks. You can find her on Instagram @yupik_yogini or @shapeshiftingwellness or at ShapeshiftingWellness.com

This event will be live-streamed and captioned, and the recording will be posted to the National Agricultural Library website after the event. If you have any questions, please contact the National Agricultural Library.

The Professional Development Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 USAIN Research Fellows Award.

Inga Haugen of Virginia Tech received funding for “The New Farmers of America Research Guide,” to be funded for $4,000. “The New Farmers of Virginia materials will be found from the main collection, donated materials, and from our archives, gathered into a collection, and a preservation plan created, which may include a digitization plan.” Maggie Albro, University of Tennessee, and Hanwen Dong, University of Idaho’s proposal, “Using Digital Learning Objects for Instructional Support for Faculty in Agricultural Sciences: A Pilot Study” was also funded for $2,000. “This research project aims to understand better how agriculture faculty use digital learning objects (DLOs) in their current courses, emphasizing DLOs used for information literacy instruction.”

Congratulations! We look forward to hopefully hearing more about their research projects at USAIN 2024 in Michigan!

- USAIN Research Fellows Award committee members: Britt Foster, Brad Brazzeal, Andrea Kepsel, Kristen Mastel, and Kelly Weigand

Read the USAIN President's Annual Report highlighting accomplishments from June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023.  We continue to grow and remain relevant thanks to all of you who volunteer your expertise and time. It's been an honor to serve as USAIN President this past year. I look forward to working with our new leadership team, led by Kiri DeBose.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Stapleton

USAIN President, 2022-2023

The importance of government publications in the field of agriculture cannot be
understated. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) continually publishes information aimed at farmers, consumers, and the general public. However, these myriad resourcescan prove challenging to identify and locate. While more information is online now, the difficulties of identifying and locating these agricultural documents are still present.

This webinar will provide an overview of historical resources from the USDA’s
research-producing entities. It will connect librarians to these resources by recommending access points and defining certain publications’ limitations. We aim to acquaint agriculture librarians with federal publication distribution processes and introduce newer librarians to publications’ applicability to various reference interactions. We will provide opportunities for experienced librarians to contribute their tips for accessing this type of information and hope to increase everyone's confidence in locating USDA publications.

Learning Objective(s):
● Understand basic government publication organization and access
● Identify notable USDA publications and where to find them
● Understand key USDA subject areas and their publications
● Explore ongoing and developing issues with federal agricultural information

A link to a recording will be sent out following the session to attendees that register.

Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 2-3pm EDT

Speakers:
● Helen Smith, Agricultural Sciences Librarian, Penn State University
● Jen Kirk, Government Information Librarian, Utah State University

Please complete this brief Google form to receive the registration link or recording. 

May 18, May 25, June 1, and June 8 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm EDT the AgNIC Data Working Group is hosting a Data Carpentry workshop for member librarians.

The Carpentries is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives. They teach skills that are immediately useful for researchers, using lessons and datasets that allow researchers to quickly apply what they have learned to their own work. I am really excited about using the Data Carpentry curriculum here to help our AgNIC members become more efficient in their research.

This workshop is focused on Ecology data. The curriculum will include:

• Data Organization in Spreadsheets for Ecologists
• Data Cleaning with OpenRefine for Ecologists
• Data Management with SQL for Ecologists
• Data Analysis and Visualization in R for Ecologists

The target audience is learners who have little to no prior computational experience, and the instructors put a priority on creating a friendly environment to empower researchers and enable data-driven discovery. Even those with some experience will benefit, as the goal is to teach not only how to do analyses, but how to manage the process to make it as automated and reproducible as possible. For instance, after attending this workshop you will be able to:

• Organize and clean data
• Have a basic understanding of SQL
• Have a basic understanding of R

Space is limited and it will likely fill quickly. Visit the workshop webpage at https://gengrubber.github.io/2023-05-18-AgNIC_online/ for more information, and register at https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9sK8jv3cMA0rZYy.

Questions? Send email to Carolyn Jackson at csjaxon@ksu.edu.